Ever struck up a conversation with the person next to you on a plane, only to learn they paid significantly less for the same flight as you? Annoying, right?!
As someone who travels regularly from North America to Australia, I’m often on the hunt for the best deal.
The secret to cheap flights? Flexibility. Here’s how being strategic when booking your next flight can unlock savings and help your dollar go further.
Erika Recommends
- Google Flights
Best for tracking flexible date price trends. - Skyscanner
Finds the cheapest travel days for a specific destination. - Hopper
Predicts fare drops and tells you the best time to book.
Why Flexible Dates Save You Money
Whether you’re booking a one-hour flight or a 20-hour flight, figuring out when to fly is like a game of 20 questions. Do you book for a weekday? Is it cheaper to fly in the spring or fall?
Being flexible on when you fly (and where) is the key to saving money. That’s in part because of airline pricing algorithms — fares fluctuate based on demand and seasonality.
Flight demand
Flight prices can reflect how many people are actively booking. Airlines commonly have tiered pricing, meaning once the cheaper tier of seats sells out, the price increases to the next tier.
Jumping on seat sales or being flexible with your dates if the cheaper tier is sold out can help you capitalize on cheaper prices.
On the flip side, fares can sometimes be cheaper at the last minute because airlines want to fill up a plane. You can sometimes find great deals if you’re willing to wait, but be aware that you also risk your preferred route selling out.
Fly on cheaper days
Is there really a cheapest day to fly, or is it nothing but an urban legend?
Hopper has done the math and based on their data, Wednesday is typically the cheapest day to fly. Meanwhile, Expedia’s data says Thursday is the best day. Either way, flying midweek is almost always better than on weekends.
When you’re flexible, changing the dates by a day or two could save you as much as 14% on the cost of your flight, according to Hopper.
Fly off-peak
Air travel is seasonal, and routes usually have a peak, shoulder, and low or off-peak season.
It’s worth doing your research to understand when those ebbs and flows happen so you can align your travel plans with flight costs.
For example, if you’re planning a trip to Paris, summer (June to August) is the peak season. But if you’re prepared to travel between January and April, you’re likely to save.
Whereas flights to Thailand during June to August are likely to be cheaper than other times of the year, as it’s their wet season.
READ MORE: Top Budget Travel Tips: Explore More for Less!
Tools for Finding Cheap Flights
Once upon a time, people relied on travel agents who had industry knowledge to book a cheaper flight.
Now, technology makes it easy for us to get the best deal, without having to step into a bricks-and-mortar travel agency.
Google Flights’ “Explore” search
Google Flights is like searching the globe for the best deal. This is a terrific tool for money-conscious explorers who aren’t tied down to a particular destination.
How to use Google Flights’ “Explore”: Input your starting destination, click the “Explore” button, and Google will populate a map near and far with flight prices, depending on whether you select a region, city, or the whole world.
You can also play around with your search by changing “flexible dates” to “specific dates” or keep it wide open and dream about where you’ll fly to next, based on the cost.
Skyscanner’s “Cheapest Month” feature
I’m a fan of Skyscanner’s “Cheapest Month” feature. Unlike Google Flights’ “Explore” search, this is best to use when you have your heart set on a destination, but want to save on getting there.
How to use Skyscanner’s “Cheapest Month”: Enter your departure city and destination, then click on the departure date box and select “whole month” in the pop-up.
The pop-up calendar will show you the cheapest month to fly to your particular destination. Select the month (e.g., August), then see the prices for that month and narrow down your dates.
Alternatively, you can select the chart tab to the right of the “calendar” on “monthly price” to compare flight costs.
Hopper’s price prediction and fare alerts
Hopper is a travel app that helps you find the best deals on flights and accommodations.
One way they stand out is with their price prediction feature. The app analyzes data, then offers guidance on whether you should book your trip now or wait for prices to drop.
How to use Hopper’s price prediction: First, you’ll need to download the app to use their price prediction feature.
Enter the details of your trip, and the app will display the cheapest dates to travel based on trillions of prices. The app gives you the option to “book now” or “watch this trip” to wait for a better price in the future.
Hopper then notifies you if prices start to rise or if a great deal on flights to your destination is available.
READ MORE: Best Travel Apps to Save Money on Flights & Hotels
Booking Strategies for Maximum Savings
Here are four strategies you can use to save money on your next flight:
1. Use the 24-hour cancellation rule to rebook cheaper fares
You could take advantage of airline policies by using the 24-hour cancellation rule. However, this rule doesn’t apply to all flights, so it’s important you understand the fine print.
The 24-hour cancellation rule is regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
It mandates that all airlines offer free cancellation or changes to flights within 24 hours of booking, as long as:
- The flight is at least seven days away.
- The flight originates in or goes through the U.S.
- The flight is booked directly with an airline.
That means flights booked through a third-party site, such as Expedia, aren’t eligible.
If your flight does fall under the conditions outlined above, here’s how it can help save you money:
- If you book a ticket and the price drops within 24 hours of booking, you’re able to book a cheaper fare and cancel the more expensive booking.
- You have a 24-hour period to ensure there’s not a better deal elsewhere with another airline or travel site and that you’re able to organize other areas of your life, such as getting time off work.
2. Know the best time to book flights
The best time to book flights depends in part on how far you’re venturing away.
The further you go, the longer in advance you should book.
- Domestic travel: If you’re planning to travel within North America, aim to book two weeks to two months ahead of time.
- International travel: The sweet spot for booking international travel is at least three months in advance. Avoid booking more than 10 months in advance or less than a month before you depart, or you could pay more.
Whether you’re flying near or far, using price alerts and signing up for notifications from airlines on seat sales is one way you can jump on a great deal.
RELATED: How To Save Money on Flights and Hotels
3. Fly out and back on different airlines
Airlines typically charge half the cost (or more!) for a one-way flight, which means you’re not likely to save money by booking two one-ways with the same airline.
However, it is possible to save money by booking two one-way tickets on different airlines, especially if you’re flying in and out of a major hub like New York.
Travel sites like Google Flights will show options for cheaper flights with different airlines as “separate tickets booked together.”
4. Choose a long layover
If you have the time (and stamina!), booking a flight with a long layover can save you money — sometimes quite a lot.
That’s because airlines can offer cheaper fares on routes with multiple stops, as these routes are less desirable than more direct options.
For example, with a quick search on Skyscanner, I could save a whopping $1,000 on a return flight from Toronto to Sydney if I’m prepared to have a long layover and spend another 10 to 14 hours getting there, compared to a more direct route.
Layovers don’t have to be all bad. It might even give you the opportunity to leave the airport and spend the day in a new location, like Fiji.
5. Search nearby airports
Checking alternative airports for cheaper fares to your destination is another way to save money. That’s because there’s less demand and low-cost airlines tend to fly to/from smaller, alternative airports.
Google Flights and Skyscanner both have the option to search “nearby airports” so you can compare prices.
The other benefit of flying from a smaller airport is that it could be faster to check in and clear security compared to major hubs.
FAQs About Finding Cheap Flights
What’s the best day of the week to book a flight?
According to Expedia, Sunday is historically the best day to book. But really, there’s no one best day to book a flight, as flight prices fluctuate and it can depend on whether you’re flying domestic or international, or if it’s peak or off-peak season.
However, when you crunch the numbers, there is a best day to fly: Wednesdays and Thursdays, according to Hopper and Expedia.
When you’re flexible with your travel dates, you can plug different days into your search bar to see the best options available.
Do airlines really track my searches and increase fares?
According to Travel Industry Today, repeatedly searching online for the best flight options may lead to a price increase.
That’s because booking sites use cookies to track a person’s search patterns, which could prompt dynamic pricing.
Help protect yourself from increased fares due to dynamic pricing by using incognito mode when searching for flights or by clearing your cache.
You can also set a fare alert so you’ll be notified if prices drop.
TL;DR: How To Book a Cheap Flight
Being flexible with your dates is one of the easiest ways to save money on flights.
For the best deals, use fare-tracking tools to know when prices drop, book flights for off-peak seasons or midweek, take a long layover, and consider alternative airports with less demand.
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